Swords of Heaven
by Deus X Machina
Summary: Soujiro Seta joins with Shougo Amakusa during the Shimabara Christian Arc. Rated PG13 for some swearing.
1. Back to Kyoto

All right, this is my first Kenshin fanfic so please review!

Basically, this fanfic is about Soujiro Seta joining with Shougo Amakusa during the Shimabara Arc. Go ahead and review tough so I can get better!

**XXXXX**

"Thank you very much," the jeweler said as he handed his customer a high quality sapphire ring. The customer smiled and drew out a sack of coins for payment. A second later, both the ring and the money disappeared, as if swept away by the wind. The door was flung open by an invisible hand and both men stood staring out the window as the thief made his getaway, unseen puffs of dirt marking his impossibly fast footsteps.

Only an hour later, Soujiro Seta sat in a restaurant eating a well earned lunch. Mr. Himura wouldn't approve of this, he thought idly. Well, nobody's perfect. It had been less than a year since he'd left Kyoto with nothing but pocket change, the clothes on his back, and the remains of his shattered sword. Paying to have it reforged had been a poor financial decision, but Soujiro had eventually succumbed to temptation and had it reforged only three weeks ago. The Kikuichimonji Norimune, with its pristine white cloth wrappings, golden tsuba, and its flawless blade, now lay in a nondescript canvas bundle which he carried over his shoulder on a strap.

Many people who saw Soujiro would see an innocent, happy-go-lucky child enjoying lunch on a beautiful afternoon. But they were not aware (and Soujiro was barely aware of it himself) of the former hitokiri's subconscious mind taking in and decoding bits of every sight and sound in the environment. This ability had been conditioned into his mind by Master Shishio's training and he had found it useful on several occasions. Like he did now.

"Have you heard about what's happening in Kyoto?" a man said.

"Yeah," said another. "Another guy got killed. Shiraishi."

"Yeah, and the assassin defeated Chou Sawagejou." Soujiro's ears perked up at the mention of his former ally.

"Good riddance," the other man snorted. "One less piece of Kansai filth in our world. I hear he used to be a criminal, chopping up babies and such."

"Don't celebrate just yet. I said 'defeated' not 'killed.'"

"Sawagejou's not dead?" the man said disappointedly.

"No. In fact, none of the bodyguards were killed, only Shiraishi himself. The others were all hit with the back of a sword or something. They say the killer moved too quickly to see."

_Back of a sword? Is it Mr. Himura?_ thought Soujiro. _No, it can't be. He doesn't kill. But that godlike speed. What else could it be besides Hiten Mitsurugi? _Soujiro patted the bulging pouch of coins hidden in his gi and the ring he still hadn't sold. There was more than enough for a train ride to Kyoto.

**XXXXX**

_Only the best for Kyoto's finest,_ thought Soujiro. The police would only put their wounded officers in the finest hospitals, so it wasn't too hard for Soujiro to find out where Chou was. Leaving his katana in the room of his inn, he left to ask Chou what was happening.

A nurse led him to the room where his former comrade lay in bed wrapped in more bandages than their old boss.

"Well, I've been running into lots of old friends lately," Chou groaned. "What brings you here, little buddy?"

"The killings, of course," said Soujiro. "I can't really follow the news since I've been traveling so much. Tell me, Chou. Was it Mr. Himura?"

"Don't be more of a jackass than you already are! Of course it wasn't Battousai! He vowed to never kill again, that stupid shit. It was some fucked-up Christian swordsman who thinks he's the Child of God. He's acting out some prophecy in a book some missionary left behind."

"Who are the old friends that you've been seeing lately?"

"The Battousai himself," said Chou.

Soujiro's trademark smile faltered for a moment. "What was he doing here?"

"Same as you, asking about the killer. He uses Hiten Mitsurugi Style, just like Battousai. I've gotta hunch that the Battousai's gonna be lookin' for him."

"Where?"

"Well, the only major community of Christians in the whole country is Shimabara. Best start looking there, I guess."

"Thanks, Chou. Goodbye."

"One more thing," said Chou. Soujiro turned to him. "This guy ain't no pushover. I've fought them both and I can tell you that this guy's better than the Battousai."

That statement hang in the silent air as Soujiro stood anchored to the floor. Finally, he regained his smile. "Well, that doesn't mean he's better than me."

**XXXXX**

Authors Notes:

Soujiro's age. I've heard it being 16, 18, and even 22 and I don't know which is right. I decided to make him 16 in the story because it best fits his childish personality. Besides, I can't imagine him being older than Kaoru.

Also, I hope to work in appearances from the rest of the Juppongatana.

That's all for now! Review!


	2. A Meeting on the Road

Swords of Heaven Ch.2

To MSN-chan: Thanks for your help. From this point on, consider Soujiro eighteen years old.

**XXXXX**

"Shimabara," Soujiro mumbled to himself. It would be interesting to wander there. Neither Shishio nor the Seta family had been the least bit inclined towards any religion, and it would be a good chance to sample the culture of the West. And if that swordsman was there, well, that would just make things more interesting.

Soujiro believed in going into battle prepared. After leaving Chou, he did something he'd never done in his life; he went to a library. He had found but one book on the history of the Secret Christians of Japan. Laws of persecution had existed ever since before the Tokugawa days, which were repealed during the Meiji era. However, deep mistrust still ran between the Christians and the Shinto majority. This was likely the so-called Son of God's motivation.

But what had really interested Soujiro in the swordsman were the stories he read about people undergoing life-changing experiences when exposed to this God. God would send them some sign and give them some revelation. Perhaps this was his sign, and when he found the Christian swordsman, he would find his truth, like Mr. Himura had hoped. It was worth a shot.

_If I don't use Shuku-chi, I won't make it to Osaka harbor by night._ This certainly wasn't true; he could get to Osaka well before sunset at the pace he was going now. His excitement had made him energetic, and he had not used his Shuku-chi for a long time. He missed the feelings of strength, speed, and freedom that Shuku-chi gave him and now was as good a time as any to feel them again. Tapping his toe against the dirt road, he sprang forth along the path. He watched trees, fields of flowers, and oblivious people zoom past. Then he approached a carriage.

Soujiro's smile turned slightly bitter as he remembered his assassination of Tochimichi Okubo. On an impulse, he slowed down slightly to see who was inside. At the last second, the carriage door was flung open and a hand seized Soujiro's wrist. Soujiro broke away and landed a short distance behind the carriage, which pulled to a stop.

A man stepped out of the carriage. He had long brown hair and wore a strange green robe and a high collared mantle and cape. But what Soujiro noticed was his medallion. He recognized the symbol, a horizontal line with a vertical curving line at each end. The symbol of the Secret Christians. This was the Christian swordsman!

"You're no ordinary person, are you," the swordsman said. It was a statement, not a question. "Soujiro Seta."

_He knows my name!_ Soujiro thought. _If this guy does study Hiten Mitsurugi, then he must know about Mr. Himura. That means he probably knows about Mr. Shishio and the others_. Soujiro kept his confident smile as he removed his sword from its bag and tucked the sheath into his belt, shifting into a Battou-jutsu stance.

The swordsman used Battou-jutsu too. They stood watching each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Finally, the swordsman decided to attack. He sprung at Soujiro with blinding speed. _Right foot,_ Soujiro thought, relieved. With a snap of the Shuku-chi, Soujiro disappeared and landed ten feet behind the swordsman's back.

"Shuku-chi," the swordsman said. "Devil's work."

"Who are you?"

"The Child of God." The swordsman turned and did an overhand slash, which Soujiro parried, one hand supporting his sword's blade. Using his Shuku-chi again, he kicked the swordsman in the chest, propelling himself into the air and landing on the roof of the carriage.

Soujiro hopped down from the carriage as the Child of God stood, recovering from the kick to his chest.

"Tenken no Soujiro," said the Child of God. "Heavenly Sword. You do not deserve that name."

The swordsman took a stance that Soujiro recognized very well. "Kuzu Ryu Sen!" A succession of sword thrusts shot towards the nine sections of Soujiro's body. Soujiro dodged it easily. The attack went on to reduce a nearby tree to splinters.

"You have dodged the Kuzu Ryu Sen before," said the Child of God.

"Yeah. There's only one attack that could defeat me."

"I see." The Child of God prepared another Battou-jutsu stance. Soujiro knew what was coming. He tightened the grip on his own sword. It wouldn't be a sakabattou this time.

"The wrath of the righteous Lord is upon you, Soujiro Seta." The swordsman leapt forward. Soujiro tensed.

"Left!" he shouted and he lifted his sword to where he knew the attack would land. His parry appeared a few seconds early, but a moment later and the swordsman's Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki would have sliced him in two. His opponent's sword slammed into his. Their blades ground together, silvery sparks flying, before Soujiro finally managed to break away. The ultimate attack had been broken!

Then, a strong wind picked up, pulling Soujiro closer to his enemy. I get it! The sword swing was so strong it caused a vacuum! The Child of God raised his sword, preparing to finish the trapped boy. Soujiro did the last thing he could think of. He used Shuku-chi, propelling him towards the swordsman, the wind only making his approach faster. This damaged the Child of God's otherwise perfect timing. At the last moment, Soujiro saw his last chance and slammed the butt end of his katana into the swordsman's throat. He was propelled backwards, droplets of blood spraying from his mouth, as he landed on his back, his sword flying from his grasp.

"Brother!" A young woman came running out of the carriage and knelt by the swordsman's side. The man ignored his sister and pulled himself into a kneeling position.

"Heaven's Sword," he whispered to himself, gasping from the unwitting recreation of Himura's fight with Shishio. "I see now. Your name is not from the arrogance of a human. It is a sign from God." He stood, still gasping for breath. "You will join us."

Soujiro was confused, but he did not want to fight this man again any time soon. "All right!" He climbed into their carriage and sat on the bench opposite them.

The young woman was the first to speak. "My name is Magadalia. This is my elder brother Shougo Amakusa." Shougo eyed Soujiro impassively and made a barely perceptible nod.

"I expect you were deprived of the Gospel during your work with Makoto Shishio," she said. Soujiro nodded. "Of course," she continued. "Most people of this country are."

"No matter how you got the name Tenken," said Magadalia, "it was intended to you by the Lord. You are probably the only person to ever break the Hiten Mitsurugi ultimate attack."

"My name is a sign?"

"Yes," said Shougo. "Tenken, God has a plan for this country. He demands that we make Japan into His nation. You are the Sword of Heaven, Tenken. Your purpose is to aid us."

"Think, Tenken," said Magadalia. "Why were you using your, what is it called, Shuku-chi?"

"I don't know. I just felt like it."

"You were using it for no reason, yet we would not have met if you didn't use it. The Lord made you use it to bring you to us. Do you understand?"

"I- think so."

"What do you know about our God, Tenken?"

"Only what I learned in two hours at a library."

"Which certainly is not much," said Magadalia. "It was probably heavily censored by the government. Tell me, what have you been doing during the time after you left Makoto Shishio?"

"Wandering."

"Why? What were you planning to accomplish from wandering?"

"I while ago I heard of two men with the same backgrounds but after ten years of wandering Japan, they developed almost opposite beliefs. So I decided that if I wandered Japan for ten years, I'd find my own truth."

"Why did you leave Shishio in the first place?" asked Shougo.

"When I met Kenshin Himura, he taught me something."

"Yes, tell me about your encounters with Himura," said Shougo. "How did he convince you to leave Shishio?"

Soujiro gulped and stared at Amakusa, his smile developing a fixed appearance. Those eyes of his had a way of looking straight into his mind and he felt the urge to tell him everything. "I think that I always wanted to leave Mr. Shishio, but I didn't know it because I was so focused on serving him and his cause. I thought he was the one ultimate truth, that he was infallible. But when I fought Mr. Himura, I felt irritated and I didn't know why. But now I know that I was irritated because he defied what Mr. Shishio taught me. Mr. Himura told me to leave and find my own answers, decide on my own beliefs."

"Yes," said Shougo. "It can be hard to join with God after a lifetime of following Satan."

The carriage seemed to have taken a longer path than necessary, so it was night by the time they reached Osaka harbor. Their ship was a large, luxurious Western-style ship. Soujiro was given a stateroom where he fell right to sleep. Meanwhile, Shougo and Magadalia were having a conversation in Shougo's cabin.

"The Battousai brought Tenken on his path towards holiness?" asked Magadalia.

"Yes. Himura was sent to give God's revelation to Tenken, which eventually led Tenken to us."

"But why would God use the Devil for a messenger?"

"The Lord works in mysterious ways," said Shougo. "And not even the Devil is completely out of His power."

**XXXXX**

Soujiro, Shishio, Shougo, Souzo, Sayo, Saito, Santo. Whoever named all these characters like this should be thrown into a meat grinder.

That's all for now! Review!!!


	3. Blessing of Blood

Thanks to all my reviewers! I'm glad you're enjoying my story.

**XXXXX**

Soujiro awoke slowly, the rocking of the ship trying to pull him back to sleep._This would never happen to me while I was with Mr. Shishio. I never needed to sleep back then._

He rubbed his eyes, yawned and stretched. He reached for his gi and paused as something on his writing desk caught his eye, a thick book bound in new leather and embossed in gold with the now-familiar symbol of the Secret Christians. On top of it was a string of dark blue beads and a silver medallion bearing a similar symbol.

Soujiro slung the medallion around his neck. He smiled at how well the blue and silver went with his outfit. Then he sat down at his desk and flipped idly through the book. The only books he'd ever read were at the library in Kyoto. Oh, and also the books in Mr. Houji's office. He would browse through them, but found that they were filled with strange words about things he didn't know anything about._I wonder if Mr. Houji had a copy of this book._Somehow, he doubted it. It didn't seem to be the kind of book Mr. Houji would care for.

Soujiro climbed onto the deck and saw the coast of a small, Westernized town. He went to a man who he recognized as the driver of Amakusa's carriage. "Excuse me. What is that place?"

"Nakasendo. It's a safe port, a place that's tolerant of us, Master Tenken," the man answered. Soujiro knew what he meant by 'us.'

"It's run by the Dutch consulate," the man continued.

"You mean it's a colony?"

"Not quite a colony, but something similar." The man held out his hand. "Souzo Lorenzo."

Soujiro shook it. "Soujiro Seta." Turning back towards the coast, he asked, "Will we get a chance to see the town?"

"Yes. We won't be setting sail till late at night."

"You work with Lord Shougo and Lady Magadalia?"

"Yes, I am their servant."

"Hey Souzo!" a sailor shouted. "We're entering port!"

"I have to go help. I'll see you later," said Souzo. Soujiro smiled and nodded.

Soujiro watched the coast of the strange town getting closer and closer. He wondered what to do. He'd want to buy some souvenirs, as he still had some money left. Then he'd get his picture taken and find some Western clothes.

"Tenken." Soujiro turned to see Lady Magadalia carrying a small purse. "I'll be bringing you into the town. Fetch your Bible."

"What's a bible?"

Magadalia suppressed a giggle. Soujiro's question seemed to amuse her. "The book I gave you this morning."

Soujiro hurried back to his cabin to retrieve the leather-bound tome and the Kikuichimonji Norimune. By the time he returned to the deck, the sailors were tying the boat to the dock. He, Magadalia, and Souzo were the first ones off.

Nakasendo was a massive culture shock. Everything was different. Cobblestone roads and thick-walled buildings of stone and mortar with nearly invisible windows of glass towered over him. Shopkeepers shouted in Dutch as often as Japanese, if not more so. They advertised the constrictive, ornamented clothes of the West and their strange cuisine, which was often served in one large piece. To Soujiro, it wasn't like eating chicken. It was like eating a chicken's corpse.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"To a church," said Magadalia.

"I thought that was only on Sundays."

"This is for your baptism."

"What's that?"

"A priest will sprinkle you with holy water. This is to remove the taint of Original Sin upon you."

"What's Original Sin?"

"There will be plenty of time for questions after the ceremony."

They continued walking in silence. Souzo tapped Soujiro on his shoulder and pointed to a passing carriage. "That's the Dutch consul."

Soujiro saw a blond, middle-aged man in a Western top hat. He watched in mild interest as the carriage continued down the street. Suddenly, the horses whinnied and the driver shouted, "Woah!"

"What happened?" asked Soujiro.

Souzo craned his neck to see. "The carriage almost hit a kid!"

"Is he all right?" asked Magadalia, her voice filled with concern.

"Yes, he's fine. He's getting up by himself," said Souzo. They continued on.

They stopped outside a stone building. To Soujiro, it looked just like every other building in the town except for the tall windows of multicolored glass. The inside was one giant chamber filled with rows of wooden benches, arranged with one aisle down the center. At the other end of the room was an elevated platform with a rectangular altar. Towering behind the altar was the chilling image of a malnourished bearded man, naked except for a loincloth, nailed by his hands and feet to a support shaped vaguely like Himura's scar.

A man in a long robe greeted them. He was Dutch, with receding blond hair and blue eyes. "Lady Magadalia," he said. "Welcome."

"It is good to see you, Father Daniel." She took him aside, sharing a hushed conversation with him.

Soujiro pointed at the metal carving of the bearded man. "Who's that?" he asked Souzo.

"Our Lord, Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God."

"I thought that was Lord Shougo."

"God sends His children to save His people, like Jesus and Lord Shougo."

"Why's Jesus stuck to that thing?" asked Soujiro.

"Being nailed to a cross is called a crucifixion. Jesus died to save the world from sin."

That was simply more than Soujiro could handle. "How can he save the world if he's dead?"

Souzo tried to explain the Resurrection and the Acts of the Apostles to Soujiro, but was mostly met with a confused stare. He sighed. Teaching was best left to Lady Magadalia.

**XXXXX**

"He is Lord Shougo's Apostle?"

"Yes," Magadalia said to Father Daniel. "He will be my brother's student and, if anything should happen to my brother, Tenken shall take over the duties given to him by God."

"His Christian name is?"

"I've already said it. Tenken."

Daniel paused, putting his limited Japanese skill to use. "Heavenly Sword?"

"Yes."

"The name is prophetic. I'm sure."

**XXXXX**

Soujiro stood with his eyes closed as Father Daniel sprinkled the water over his head and chanted in a language that Magadalia said was called Latin.

A tiny scraping sound reached Soujiro's ears. A metal blade drawn from a leather sheath. Soujiro ducked at the last minute as a hand clutching a straight-bladed dagger sailed over him. Soujiro launched a back kick to his attacker's groin and another to his chest, pushing him away. He saw that his attacker was the church's Japanese deacon, Peter Takahashi. Soujiro snatched out his katana and slashed at the deacon's dagger hand. The dagger clattered to the floor, his severed arm dropping next to it. Peter raised his left arm and rushed at Soujiro. The former hitokiri grabbed him by his shirt and flung him against the altar.

Soujiro pointed his sword at Souzo and Magadalia. "What's happening? What's going on?" he shouted.

"Tenken-" Magadalia started, but stopped as Soujiro pointed the blade at her. Soujiro's newfound faith had been broken by this traitor.

"You have no right to do this!" Peter shouted between gasps and sobs of pain. He tried to stand, supporting himself on the altar. "Shougo Amakusa can't do this! He has no right to demand such sacrifice!"

Magadalia turned to the wounded man, a cold anger evident on her face. She reached into a pocket and pulled out her gold Remington Double Derringer, its ivory handle carved with the Divine Symbol. Aiming the weapon at the deacon, she whispered angrily, "My brother is infallible. He is God." She pulled the trigger.

The bloody corpse of the deacon collapsed against the altar, a single dripping bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. Soujiro and his companions returned to the ship in silence. The boy christened Tenken had received his first revelation ever since joining with Shougo Amakusa. Even someone as pure as Magadalia would kill for the Son of God.

**XXXXX**

No, this will not be an atheist's pointless rant against Christianity. You will see that throughout the story, there will be ups and downs in Soujiro's faith.

Also, I realize many of my readers haven't seen the Shimabara Arc. While it isn't completely necessary, there are some references to the show that will help readers understand the timeline. For example, the kid that nearly got run over by the Dutch consul was none other than Yahiko Myojin.

That's all for now. Please review!


	4. End the Sadness

Some of my reviewers believe that Shougo and Magadalia are manipulating Soujiro. I understand what you're saying. In fact, what you think is basically what I intended in the last chapter. Magadalia leads Soujiro on his path to Christianity, but Soujiro understands very little about it. Also, Soujiro doesn't have any firm commitment to religion just yet, he only hopes to eventually find some truth that he agrees with. As for Soujiro becoming an Apostle, I regret introducing the idea so suddenly. Still, Magadalia is not trying to trick Soujiro. She is only commenting on what she expects to happen.

Again, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

**XXXXX**

"He's returned! Lord Shougo has returned!"

A man climbed up into a watch tower and rang the large iron bell with a mallet. The villagers, still in their bedclothes, flooded from their homes to watch the return of their Messiah. Even the children, awoken in the middle of the night, were now wide awake, their eyes shining with excitement. They saw Him and His companions slowly approaching the village in a rowboat.

At that moment, Soujiro was the villagers' polar opposite. Still confused about the events during his baptism, Soujiro had taken precautions to protect himself from his companions. He now carried the Kikuichimonji Norimune on his belt rather than in its bag. He realized that if he tried to leave, what happened to Peter Takahashi would also happen to him. His only hope was that there was some good in Amakusa's actions that he could see as his truth.

On the shore, a man in high-collared red robes carrying a heavy staff of silver and gold was making an impassioned speech to the villagers. Soujiro only caught his last words. "Behold! A miracle!"

At first, Soujiro thought nothing of it but a second later, a great ring of fire burst out of the water, surrounding their boat. As a reflex, Soujiro snapped his katana halfway out its sheath. But then he turned and saw the flames leaping high into the air, forming the Divine Symbol over the water. Without bothering to sheath it, Soujiro let his sword drop and lifted one hand to his silver medallion. His awe was short lived, however, as an all-too familiar scent drifted across his nose.

Petroleum.

_It's all a trick! _thought Soujiro. He glanced at Amakusa, who was staring straight ahead towards the shore, a neutral expression on his stoic face.

**XXXXX**

While Shougo and Magadalia left for some meeting with the red-robed man, Soujiro was free to wander about the village. The talk was all the same. Lord Shougo's acts of vengeance, his "miracle" of fire. He was starting to like these people less and less. He knew that with his Shuku-chi, he could easily escape. However, something was holding him back. He wasn't sure why, but he simply had a strong feeling that he needed to stay.

He decided to head out to the beach. No one would be there. It would be a break from all the talk of miracles and the Land of God.

Finding a large rock in front of a cliff face, Soujiro leaned his back against it, sitting down in the sand. Why did he have this unnatural compulsion to stay in Shimabara? What was he supposed to do in a place like this?

_Whoosh, whoosh._

Soujiro watched the waves rolling up on the shore and flowing back into the ocean. Forward and back. Forward and back. He sank into lethargy as he watched the waves rising and falling in their hypnotizing spell. As he came out of his trance, he had a calmed, newly refreshed mind. It dawned on him that what he had done was meditation, like what Anji used to do. He stood back up, feeling peaceful and ready to return to the village.

He stopped as he heard voices around the corner. He saw a young woman and a boy of perhaps ten or eleven.

"You know, Kaoru, it's strange how many people come here believing in that Land of God crap or whatever the hell it's called," said the boy.

"You really think so, Yahiko?"

"Huh?"

"Anti-Christianity laws have been in place since long before the Tokugawa Era," said the woman named Kaoru. "They've been repealed in the Meiji Era, but that doesn't necessarily stop all the pain. The only real hope for the Christians is that a, um, Messiah, as they call it, would come to save them."

"Are you taking Shougo Amakusa's side?" asked a shocked Yahiko.

Kaoru cut him off. "I'm not saying that! It's just that... well, I don't know how to explain it. I just think that...that it's all so sad."

Soujiro decided to walk away at that point, not wanting to have anything more to do with outsiders. _I'm such a hypocrite, _he thought. He was as much an outsider as they were. Probably even more so. After all, the woman Kaoru seemed to understand Amakusa's people better than Soujiro did.

Kaoru and Yahiko. If they were outsiders, then it was possible that they were with Himura. He remembered Mr. Houji telling him that Himura had friends named Kaoru Kamiya and Yahiko Myojin. These were probably them.

"It's all so sad," Soujiro whispered to himself. They were so happy that their Messiah had arrived, so happy that they would be led to this Land of God. But what made it sad was that they needed a Messiah at all. It was sad that they couldn't just live and worship in peace.

That was why Soujiro felt the need to stay. With his strength and skill, he could find a way to help end the sadness and bring them the peace the Christians needed.

Whether it was God or some fate that had arranged for him to hear Kaoru's words, Soujiro knew what he had to do. There would be danger in the future of Shimabara and Soujiro would do whatever it took to protect them.

**XXXXX**

"An underground cathedral?" asked Sanosuke as he and Kenshin explored a vast underground cavern they had found.

"Yes," said Kenshin. "Shirou Amakusa and the Christians must have wanted a place to pray and work that was safe from the eyes of the Tokugawa Shogunate."

"I dunno, Kenshin," said Sano. "How would the shogunate miss something like that?"

"It doesn't matter!" said a voice from the distance. "Not for those about to go to Hell!"

A torch flared to life at the top of a large stone mound. Their opponent was a large, stout man with wild black hair. A strange whistle hung from a chain around his neck. His mouth twisted into a malicious smirk.

"Are you the Battousai, Rooster-head?" he called.

"My name's Sanosuke Sagara, and don't you forget it!"

"Huh?" the man said, confused. "Then the tiny one must be the infamous Devil."

"Devil?" Kenshin murmured to himself. "Well, sir, you obviously know who we are. How about giving us the same privilege?"

"Very well. I am Genemon, loyal servant of our Lord Shougo. And the one who will defeat the infamous Battousai."

"Many warriors have said those words," said Kenshin, still not drawing his sakabattou. "As you can see, none of them have fulfilled their desires."

"I'll bet none of them had the Lord on their side," answered Genemon. Then, he blew into his whistle, which made no sound.

"Your little flute's broken, fat-ass," shouted Sanosuke. Genemon only grinned.

A low growl came from the shadows. "Aw, shit," muttered Sanosuke. Over a dozen large black dogs, fangs bared and slobbering in anticipation of a feast, prepared to swarm the two fighters.

"Goodbye, Battousai," Genemon said tauntingly before he blew another signal into his silent whistle. Before he finished the pre-trained tune, Kenshin and Sanosuke were already running, the great dogs in hot pursuit.

**XXXXX**

Thank you to all my reviewers, especially the first signed reviewer that matters, Omnipotent Pyro.


	5. The Destined Time

Soujiro returned to the village, refreshed. The first thing he would do was find Mr. Himura. Soujiro wanted to talk to him, make him understand what the Christians wanted and what their Messiah would bring them.

Soujiro noticed how he still referred to Shougo as "their" Messiah instead of "our" Messiah. Even though he had been baptized, he still didn't feel like one of the Christians. Even though he wanted to stay, he didn't know if he actually belonged here.

"Tenken," said a melodious voice ahead of him. Soujiro looked up to see Magadalia, a look of concern on her face.

"I was wondering where you were," she said. "I was getting worried."

"I was just down by the beach," Soujiro answered. He decided not to mention Kaoru and Yahiko.

"Would you come with me, please?" asked Magadalia. "There is something I must show you."

Magadalia led Soujiro to a rather large cabin. The inside was nearly bare, just a small table and a single cushion. The wall-mounted shelf was empty except for a small lantern. Most noticeable was the heavy tapestry in the corner that hung from ceiling to floor. Magadalia took the lantern and pushed the tapestry aside, revealing a dark staircase into an underground cavern. The place was dark and strange, yet Magadalia entered it without any hesitation and walked as if she had known the place her entire life.

"What is this?" asked Soujiro.

"This leads to the underground cathedral which was the base of operations for the leader of the Christians, Shirou Amakusa during the first Christian revolt in Japan."

"Shirou Amakusa," Soujiro echoed. "A relation of yours?"

"Not by blood," said Magadalia. "My family's original name is Muto. Shougo is the Second Coming of Shirou, not a descendant."

"Second Coming?"

Magadalia smiled. "That brings me to what I wanted to talk to you about. Your confirmation."

"What's that?" asked Soujiro.

"Remember your baptism?" asked Magadalia. "You still don't know what Original Sin is and Souzo tells me you didn't recognize Jesus Christ when you saw his image. But that's all right. The baptism is generally given to infants, who know God in their hearts but not their minds. It is the same for you, Tenken. The Holy Spirit is in your soul, that I do not doubt. However, I think your mind is still struggling to truly understand that. That's what the confirmation is. A conscious decision to come to God."

"So what's involved?"

"If you are to make this decision, then you must first be educated about Christianity. You will attend classes in which I will teach you about our Lord. When you are ready, you will be confirmed.

"Lady Magadalia," a deep voice floated from the darkness ahead of them. Magadalia held up her lantern, illuminating the shadowed face of the red-robed man.

"Kaiou," Magadalia said in a cool greeting.

"And Master Tenken," said Kaiou. He placed a hand to his chest and made a slight bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last. I am Kaiou the Evangelist and I serve at Lord Shougo's side."

"This lantern is burning low, Kaiou," Magadalia said, her voice turning icy. "Do you have any more of that petroleum?"

Kaiou smiled, ignoring the question. "Voices echo so loudly in this cave. I couldn't help but hear you discussing Tenken's confirmation." He turned to Soujiro. "Lady Magadalia is a fine teacher, but she mostly handles children and tends to leave out certain parts of God's word from her lessons. Very interesting parts that a warrior like yourself should be able to handle."

"What are you talking about, Kaiou?" said Magadalia.

"Why, the Devil of course."

"What's that?" asked Soujiro.

"It's nothing you need to be concerned of," said Magadalia.

"What is the Devil?" Soujiro repeated in a slightly more forceful tone. Turning to Magadalia, he said, "You said that I needed to learn more about Christianity."

Kaiou gave Magadalia a smug look. "The Devil, Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub;he has many names. The Devil is a creature of evil, the eternal enemy of God. Where men have hair on their heads, he has the horns of a bull. His legs are those of a goat and his hands are like the strong claws of a bear. He lurks in the fiery pits of Hell, holding unrepentant souls to their eternal torment. Isn't that right, Lady Magadalia?"

"Yes, but sometimes the Devil takes a more subtle disguise. Good evening, Kaiou." Magadalia lead Soujiro around the red-robed evangelist and continued walking without looking back.

"Tenken," Kaiou said. Soujiro stopped and turned towards him. From under his cape, Kaiou produced a leather folder. "This is all the information we have on Shishio's group. Just in case you might want to look at it."

Soujiro glanced at Lady Magadalia, who kept walking, ignoring Kaiou. The young man quickly snatched the file out of Kaiou's hands. "Good evening, Tenken." Kaiou bowed before turning away, melting into the shadows of the cave.

Soujiro and Magadalia continued their walk to the cathedral in silence. Finally, Magadalia spoke. "Before Kaiou starts one of his fire-and-brimstone sermons with you, there is something that I need you to know. His focus on the Devil is, well, misleading. The Devil is merely the antithesis of God, but the way the evangelist teaches it, God is nothing more than the antithesis of the Devil. That is why I leave Satan out of my lessons to the children. They must learn to serve God because they sincerely love Him, not because they fear punishment."

Suddenly Magadalia stopped and let out a light gasp. "What's wrong?" asked Soujiro.

Magadalia took off at a run. "Hurry, Tenken!"

Confused, Soujiro hurried after the woman until they came to a long hallway. At the end of the corridor was an open pair of double doors with a brilliant light shining through them. The two paused, listening to the voices inside.

"Why do you not turn away?" said Shougo's cold voice.

"Because…because I don't want to lie to myself," replied the wavering yet resolute voice of Kaoru Kamiya.

At that moment, Magadalia ran straight towards the door. Soujiro started to follow her but turned when he heard footsteps running towards him.

"Master Tenken! Master Tenken!" A large, wild-haired man ran towards him. "I don't know what I should do!" The man seemed close to tears.

"Uh, calm down," Soujiro said. He had never met this man, but news probably traveled fast in such a small community. "Calm down. Tell me your name."

"I am Genemon," said the frightened man.

"Now what's going on?" asked Soujiro.

"Lord Kaiou told me to kill him and if I didn't, he'll kill me! But then my whistle broke and my dogs turned against me and he saved me! He saved my life, so can he really be a demon? But Lord Kaiou said that he was and I'll be killed if I don't kill him!"

"What do you mean? Who are you talking about?"

"Himura the Battousai."

"Himura?" Soujiro and Genemon turned to see Lord Shougo emerge from the cathedral's door of light flanked by Magadalia and Kaoru. "Tell me where he is."

"On the cliff by the beach," said Genemon. "I tied him to a tree."

"Himura," Shougo said to himself. "The final battle between the sword of Heaven and the sword of Earth," he said. "The destined time has come at last."

**XXXXX**

Kenshin Himura stood by the lone tree on the cliff, his gaze turned up towards the cloudy nighttime sky. He had broken out of Genemon's chain long before and he could escape at any time. He couldn't wait for too long, as Sano was probably still running from Genemon's dogs. But if he left, Genemon would be killed.

"Kenshin!" Kenshin looked up in time to see Kaoru throw her arms around him. Meanwhile, Genemon examined his defeated chain with a look of amazement.

"You broke out of this!" he said. He gave Kenshin a look of admiration. "And yet you waited here for me!"

Kenshin slowly broke from Kaoru's embrace. He turned his gaze to his adversary Shougo but his attention was drawn to a smaller figure next to him.

"Soujiro!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Hello, Mr. Himura."

Kenshin's voice took on a calm, steely tone. "What are you doing here, Soujiro?"

"I intend to help these people and their Messiah."

"Why?"

"You can't possibly understand what these people have gone through. I know what it's like to be hated by everyone around you. Sometimes the only way to freedom is through your enemies."

"Shougo Amakusa," Kenshin growled angrily, "That young man standing beside you has known more suffering than either of us could comprehend. On top of the atrocities you plan to commit, must you drag him into it?"

Shougo was unfazed by the accusation. "I see. You take your oath not to kill to a foolish level. You would rather let us live in oppression than die fighting for the Land of God. But you will soon see that your petty ideals, the kindness and compassion that Kamiya spoke of, are nothing more than the cries of a worthless insect when compared to the awesome power of the Lord."

"Ever since I learned that you studied the Hiten Mitsurugi, I knew that a battle with you was inevitable," said Kenshin. "But my goal is not to defeat you and it is certainly not to perpetuate the oppression of your people. My only desire is for you to learn the laws that govern us all, including you. Your people will find a path to freedom but it will not be a path through bloodshed.

"We must protect our fellow man," Kenshin continued. "That was the belief of the thirteen masters with the name of Seijiro Hiko as it was the belief of your uncle Hyouei, the one who taught the Hiten Mitsurugi Style to you. Without that principle in mind one cannot be allowed to use the Hiten Mitsurugi."

Kenshin drew a folded piece of paper from his sleeve. "This is Hyouei Nishida's last will and testament. Despite everything that's transpired, it's addressed to you. The battle will begin after you read this."

"There is no need for that," said Shougo. "The Hiten Mitsurugi Style of Heaven far surpasses yours or my uncle's. As the Child of God, I have no reason to heed the words of men."

"If that's the case," said Kenshin, "then I ask that Master Hyouei's spirit look over us." He wedged the will into the crack in a rock.

Kenshin reached for his sakabattou in a battou-jutsu stance. Shougo remained straight-backed but looking no less ready. The two combatants locked eyes, each seeing into the other's heart, as was the practice of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style.

Standing behind Shougo, Magadalia put her hand on Soujiro's shoulder. "Watch and see for yourself how absolute the Sword of Heaven truly is."

**XXXXX**

Author's Notes: Sorry for the wait, but school comes first! I couldn't work on this until I had a holiday, you know. To the Americans on this site, Happy President's Day!


	6. The Heart of God

I'm finally back! After months of school, two weeks in Japan and Taiwan, and being sidetracked by other fics, I'm finally getting back to work on Swords of Heaven. Sorry for the long wait. I hope you enjoy the story.

**XXXXX**

Soujiro watched Amakusa and Himura stare each other down. He was reminded of the duel he had had with Himura in Shingetsu village. Soujiro knew that soon, Himura would strike using a very swift attack.

Himura charged, snapping out his sakabattou and twirling around to gather momentum. On the final spin, he swung his sakabattou. He struck nothing but air. Amakusa had disappeared.

"Was that supposed to be the Ryu Kan Sen?" Amakusa shouted down to his opponent. Everyone's eyes turned towards the sky, where the Son of God had leapt. "You shall now see what a Ryu Kan Sen nurtured by Heaven looks like!" He shot down towards Himura like a bolt of lightning, his sword twirling in a similar move. Amakusa's blade bit deep into Himura's flesh as he landed. Before Himura had a chance to react, Amakusa struck with a powerful Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji, flew into the air, and landed effortlessly.

"A superb Ryu Kan Sen followed by the Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji," said Himura. "I suppose you would follow with a Ryu Tsui Sen?"

"Yes," answered Amakusa. "I would like to see your Ryu Tsui Sen as well."

"As you wish," answered Himura. The two combatants leapt high into the air together. Himura performed the powerful overhand strike of the Ryu Tsui Sen only to strike the air once again. Amakusa reappeared behind him and delivered his own Ryu Tsui Sen to Himura's left shoulder.

"He changed direction in midair!" gasped Kaoru. "But - that's impossible!"

"Not for the Child of God!" Genemon shouted back. "Lord Shougo truly is the Son of God. Right, Lady Magadalia?"

"Yes!" answered Magadalia, her voice sounding happier than Soujiro had ever heard it.

"Lady Magadalia?"

"Yes, Tenken?"

Soujiro glanced at the ground. "Watching this battle has shown me how truly powerful Lord Shougo is. But there is something I don't understand. I'm sure that any of the attacks Lord Shougo used in this fight would have defeated me. Yet when we first met, I was able to defeat his Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki. Why is that?"

Magadalia stared at the battle before her as her brother exchanged words and blows with the demonic Battousai. She lifted her face to the moonlight, as if listening to some unheard voice. Finally, she answered Soujiro's question. "My brother's sword is meant to perform the will of God, no more and no less. You live because it was not God's will for you to die. I know that you will play an important part in our holy cause."

**XXXXX**

"I can tell that you are not fighting at your full strength. You do not intend to kill me, do you?" said Kenshin.

"Not with the ordinary attacks of the Hiten Mitsurugi," answered Shougo. He stood erect with his sword directly in front of him. The stance of the Kuzu Ryu Sen.

'This is it,' thought Kaoru. "He's going to make Kenshin use the ultimate attack.'

Kenshin slid his sakabattou back into its sheath and took the battou-jutsu stance.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Style. Kuzu Ryu Sen," said Shougo. "Here goes!" Shougo sped towards his opponent, his rapidly moving sword aiming for the nine targets on Kenshin's body.

Kenshin countered Shougo's Kuzu Ryu Sen. Not with the ultimate attack, but with another Kuzu Ryu Sen. The counter was sloppy and Kenshin collapsed, seriously wounded.

"Why? Why didn't you use the ultimate attack?" Shougo demanded.

Supporting himself on his sakabattou, Kenshin looked up into Shougo's eyes. "That Kuzu Ryu Sen has told me everything about you."

"What?" Shougo snarled.

"I've seen to the very depths of your heart."

For a moment, Shougo stood dumbfounded. Then, his face contorted in unbridled rage. A great bolt of lightning shot down from the heavens and struck the blade of his sword. "A mortal like you has no right to see the heart of God!" Shougo roared. The light on his sword intensified and became so bright that none of the onlookers. "I'll grant you a defeat one thousand times worse than death! I grant you eternal darkness!" He brought his fiery blade down on Kenshin's head. With a final flash, Kenshin was sent flying off the cliff.

Without thinking, Soujiro shot into a full Shuku-chi, grabbed Kenshin's wrist and pulled him back onto the cliff.

"What are you doing, Tenken?" asked Shougo.

"Mr. Himura was pretty badly injured when he was fighting against my old master. I don't think he could take a fall from a cliff. If he were injured, he might not be able to use the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki against you," said Soujiro. "But I have a question, Lord Shougo. How do you feel, now that you've fought Mr. Himura?"

Shougo turned away. "I've already said it, Tenken. A mortal has no right to see the heart of God." As he walked away, he said to Magadalia. "Sister, deal with the Battousai in whatever way you see fit."

As Shougo left the cliff, he couldn't help but think of Soujiro's question. _I feel…irritated._


End file.
